Esplin 1894:
((How did you stabilize the antigen binding factor?)) Dr. Helaine asked, intrigued.
"I didn't have to," I said, "The body automatically adjusted to the higher antibody counts, over period of several days. Our attempts to artificially adjust the genome for the antigens was one of the initial problems that deadlocked us for so long."
((I have studied some of your race's attempts to modify genetic structures. This is… elegant, by comparison)) Dr. Helaine said. She hated me, but she was a scientist, and could appreciate my work.
"Bellai, watch her rook," Jacob interrupted, watching the game between the two Andalite children, ignoring my conversation.
((I still can't identify the how the immune system was able to neutralize the Verozine gas, without being destroyed...)) Helaine admitted.
"Double check your scans," I said smugly. She might have missed it, if she went over it with a fine toothed comb, but standing back from the results would show the answer.
Verozine gas was deadly. Many of the white blood cells tumbling through Jacob's blood stream were dead… but they had undergone a chemical change as well. Each dead cell had hardened around the absorbed nodule of concentrated Verozine particles… trapped, where they couldn't harm anything else. The poison would eventually be excreted in the urine, but it wouldn't cause further harm during the interim.
The key to the success of Jacob's modifications, was not to reinvent the stone wheel… just add titanium spokes, and introduce cross braces to reduce the weight.
((That's a terrible analogy)) Jacob thought, amused by the visual. I saw his interpretation of the visual as well, ((And why, exactly, did you picture it with flaming racing stripes and booster engines?)) I asked pointedly.
((I'm… actually not quite sure)) Jacob admitted, bemused.
((Ah… I see!)) Dr. Helaine said, excited.
"Well, at least one of you is excited," Jacob muttered.
The next month passed in more or less the same monotony. We woke up, Sonili would be waiting patiently, with Bellai in tow. We would play games. Jacob would eat, and I would speak to Dr. Helaine about differing genetic techniques. Then we would sleep. Jacob would often do push ups, hand stands, crunches, and run in place, whenever he could, worried about losing the muscle mass we had gained on Antios III, his antics amusing the girls, and the guards.
Coincidentally, we learned from one of the Arisths, Torfan, that Chess had spread to the barracks, and was a serious contender among their many games involving teams and balls. Apparently, boredom was a serious threat at this outpost. Torfan was the one that had stabbed Jacob's shredder, in the hallway, and nearly been killed by the Verozine gas. Occasionally, he would even play a game or two of chess with me, since Jacob couldn't defeat him. I won as often as I lost.
The entire time though Jacob had a nagging feeling that we had overlooked something. Something important. Since I couldn't see into his subconscious, his primeval brain, I couldn't clarify what his "gut instinct" was trying to tell us.
But it began to worry me as well.
Lywerav-Ontoul-Yrbon:
I watched the monitor as the yeerk played Uno with both my niece, and Bellai.
He was losing.
((Z-space signatures detected))
I glanced up from my report, and at the display. Both of my hearts stopped beating for a moment.
((Warriors, stand to your stations!)) I roared, broadcasting over the entire complex. The stealth systems were still intact, thankfully. My first thought was of the yeerk. Somehow it had signaled… I shoved the seething thoughts away, and focused on the immediate problem. If the yeerks began a grid search pattern, then our exact position was unknown, but if they didn't…
I examined the enemy force's disposition. The enemy fleet was being led by a single Blade Ship, and supported by two destroyers, and a dozen patrol craft. Bugfighters swarmed out of the Bladeship, and headed towards the planet.
Jacob Nyles:
((The fucking Scrit Na. They love to trade… what if they traded their sensor logs with another ship…)) Esplin groaned.
Just like that, the nagging thought crystallized… after it was too late to help.
I stared at the computer console, which showed the locations of the various Yeerk vessels. "Are they razing the planet?" I demanded angrily. Helaine nodded grimly,
((Indeed. Your compatriots cannot find us, so they intend to flush us from hiding))
"How long before they reach us?" I whispered.
((At their current rate of destruction? It will take them several weeks… but their fighters are the greater threat. Our stealth systems cannot withstand close-range scrutiny, not for so large an area))
"If this entire facility relies on stealth, what's the point of having a half-assed cloaking field?" I demanded.
Helaine glared at me, ((I assure you, our stealth systems far outshine any Yeerk sensor or cloak, but you must remember, human, this facility is quite large, and as such, is harder to miss on a close-range scan!))
I stared at the screen helplessly, trapped.
((Perhaps we should give them what they want)) Esplin suggested.
((What do you mean?)) I asked.
((If they think they have found the base, and attack it… standard operating procedure of any Andalite is to draw in as many enemies as possible, if defeat is certain, and then self-destruct))
((I'll tell them it was my idea)) I promised.
((Wait)) Esplin said, ((Tell them it was mine, they'll think it was me anyway, trying to deceive them)) she argued.
((So if I tell them the truth…?)) I asked
((They'll think it was your idea, and you're trying to make me look better)) Esplin explained smugly.
((alrighty then…)) I drawled, and looked at Helaine.
"Umm… Esplin has an idea…" I offered hesitantly.
((()))
Chicken-shit considered the plan, for a very long time, but in the end, he agreed. Two stealthed Andalite fighters circumnavigated the planet, landing in the path of the searching bugfighters. They extended their cloaking field, mimicking that of the installation's. The only problem, was the facility only had two fighters. The only other ship was the medium sized craft that I'd been picked up by… which could hold twenty-six andalites, according to Torfan.
The outpost's complement was one hundred and seven. (plus me, but I doubt they were going to give up a berth for a Yeerk insurgent). Chicken shit was now arguing with Helaine, in private, so we couldn't tell what they were saying. He was no doubt pulling a Titanic, trying to get the women and children to take the life boat.
((It would be efficient, especially if the females were already pregnant)) Esplin said thoughtfully, ((the female survivors would be able to replace the lost males… but the males obviously can't replace the lost females)) Esplin concluded.
I stared at her, ((Thank you for so cynically laying bare one of the most sacred laws of man…))
((What are talking about? Law?)) Esplin asked, unable to follow.
((Women and children, to the boats?)) I answered.
((Oh… I thought you were about to say something else)) Esplin said, actually startled that she hadn't anticipated the direction of my thoughts.
((What did you think I was going to say?)) I asked.
((I'm not sure, something involving cave men, and groping before going out to kill the dinosaur)) Esplin admitted sheepishly.
I thought about it. I decided it might have potential. Esplin shook her head, and decided to return her attention to Chicken-shit and Helaine.
Esplin 1894:
They transferred us from the medical bay, to the cell once more, and left us there… alone. Judging by the facility-wide thought-speak updates, the children, and many of the females had already boarded the Andalite ship, and were awaiting the signal to launch. Judging from the brief glimpses of the schematics, the ship had a fair chance of evading detection, and on top of that, it could outrun anything save for the fighter craft.
I told Jacob as much, and his thoughts turned to Sonili and Bellai, which comforted him, a little. More than anything though, Jacob hated being inactive… and unaware.
We didn't know if the yeerks had taken the bait, if the escape ship had launched… nothing. Then an alarm sounded, and a moment later, the outpost shook.
((It would appear the yeerks found us anyway)) I sighed.
"Damn," Jacob concluded.
Damn indeed.
Jacob Nyles:
Another blast rocked the base, perhaps the tenth, or eleventh, and I staggered to the floor. My heart sunk further when I heard Dracon fire inside the base… which meant the shield was down.
((So… it's been fun, Esplin…)) I said quietly.
((Some parts more than others)) Esplin agreed. We both avoided thoughts of Antios III.
We sat in silence for several minutes.
Then the security console sprang to life, across from us.
I stood up, and peered through the containment field, "Sonili?" I asked. Had the escape ship not launched?
The Andalite girl was hunched in front of the recorder, her eyes twitching nervously,
((Jacob, some Yeerks are outside the room I barricaded. They're trying to burn their way in!))
"Can you drop the containment field?" I demanded.
((Yes… this is my uncle's personal console)) the girl admitted. She hid in her uncle's room?
"Do it!" I snapped. The field flickered, and died. I was in the hall a second later.
((Do we have a plan?)) Esplin asked wryly.
((Save the girl, kill everything in the way)) I snarled.
((Oh good. I love simple plans— take a right up ahead))
I barreled around the corner. At the other end, a Hork-bajir looked up startled.
"Look out!" I shouted to him, pointing behind him in terror. For a split second, the Yeerk was confused, and began to spin, raising an arm to ward off a blow, because I was acting like a controller. Then logic destroyed my illusion, and the Yeerk raised his weapon.
I was already too close. I twisted the dracon beam in his hand, and he died, with a look of surprise on his scaly features. I snatched his communicator headset and dracon beam. I stole his equipment belt for the hell of it.
((Why was he alone?)) Esplin mused as I ran.
"Divine… providence…" I gasped, whipping around another corner.
((Take the access conduit down three floors)) Esplin advised. I didn't bother trying to bypass the lock, I burned it off, and yanked the hatch open, blistering my fingers in the process. Esplin didn't complain. Much.
I practically fell down the shaft, jabbing my feet and hands out, three floors down.
((You might not care, but you're hurting us, Jacob)) Esplin complained. I had various scrapes, burns (both friction and thermal), and bruises.
I was fine.
I shot out the lock, and punched the hatch open. Dead hork-bajir and taxxons littered the hallway. Chicken-shit had made them pay dearly for this corridor. I also saw a couple of furry lumps amidst the carnage. One of them was purple.
((Go left)) Esplin instructed. I tried to be careful, but spilt intestines are slicker than snot, as the saying goes.
((Mucous is sticky though…)) Esplin remarked, confused. I busted my ass twice. Casualties had been extreme.
((We're close now. Turn right up ahead, then proceed… seven meters))
((You, my friend, are better than a map))
I slid to a halt at the corner, and peeked around carefully. One of the doors had been partially melted, and kicked in. I could hear the voice of a Hork-bajir inside.
Quietly, I crept to the hole, and looked. The inside of the room was a mess. One Taxxon was smeared all over the room, and a second was busy devouring the mess. In the corner, I saw Sonili and Bellai. In the center of the room, a single Hork-bajir held a Dracon beam on them while he spoke into his headset, one clawed finger to his ear. For a split second, he looked like the Secret Service from Hell.
((He's talking with his superior, Jacob, he's reporting the children, and… asking for orders)) Esplin translated. I grinned, and shot him in the back. The Hork-bajir stared down at the exit hole in his chest, before collapsing. Unfortunately, he still wasn't dead… until the Taxxon fell on him, teeth flashing, its red compound eyes glinting insanely.
I hated Taxxons. Esplin hated Taxxons. We were in agreement. All Taxxons must die. I shot the worm-bag alien, and it exploded like a caterpillar in a microwave.
((You don't know that. You've never seen a caterpillar bombarded with microwave radiation)) Esplin argued.
((Well, if I did, then it would look like that exploding Taxxon)) I retorted.
"Hello, girls, you called?" I chuckled. They stared at me like lost puppies, so I tried to distract them a different way, "I think we should leave. Sonili, where's your uncle?"
((Con-co-control booth)) she stammered, her eyes wide. I slipped the dead Hork-bajir's equipment belt over my chest, opposite to the first belt, and arranged the soft holsters so that they hung down from the belt, turning them into lanyards. I stuffed a pair of Dracon beams from the Taxxons into the holsters, and picked up the dead Hork-bajir's Dracon, so that I had a weapon in either hand.
Lywerav-Ontoul-Yrbon:
((Can we reestablish command functions?)) I demanded.
Helaine looked at me helplessly, ((They cut off this section from the main computer. I can't reroute what's not there!))
"Hello? Chicken-shit? You still alive?" a voice asked. I peered at my communicator incredulously.
((Human? How did you… this is a secure frequency! How did you—?)) I demanded.
"Hey, listen, Chicken-shit, we don't have much time. I have the girls, and they're safe, for the moment, but I'm cut-off from the control booth. I can't get to you."
The girls? But, they were on the transport, it launched…
((We lost the control booth)) I said grimly.
"Oh. Um, just a second, Sonili wants to talk to you—"
((—Uncle?))
((Sonili! Why didn't you stay on the ship!)) I cried.
((We were going to say goodbye to Jacob, we still have six minutes… then the ship launched early, it's not my fault. Then the yeerks got in, and I hid in your office. The yeerks found us, so I used your console to release Jacob. He found us, and killed… killed the yeerks)) my daughter said hastily, her words running together.
((Uncle, what should we do? I'm… I'm afraid))
I wanted to tell my niece to run, to escape. But I am a servant of the People. I could feel my hearts breaking, for there was nowhere to run.
((Sonili, I've lost access to the command functions. Do you understand?)) I said gently.
((Yes)) the voice was tiny, small.
((I need you to somehow set up a link for me to the main computer))
((… I will…))
((Then go, my child. Make me proud. Put the human back on the link))
And she was my child, blood of my brother or not, she was mine.
"What do you need?" the human asked grimly.
((If you betray my niece, yeerk, I will not rest until—))
"Listen Chicken-shit, we're wasting time, and I've got yeerks that need some killing. I bet you have the same problem," the human interrupted. The line was terminated from his end.
The yeerks renewed their assault, and I lost two more warriors pushing them back. We were trapped in the corridor, unable to raise the containment bulkhead behind us. I needed command access.
Esplin 1894:
((The warpaint is perhaps a bit much)) I stated, catching sight of Jacob's reflection in a broken display screen. He'd taken forty-seven seconds to use a dead Hork-Bajir's red-green blood to mark his bare chest, arms, and face.
((Hey, my ancestors were Celtic)) Jacob protested.
((Only on your father's side. I thought the Celts traced heredity through the mother?))
((Immaterial)) Jacob growled.
I did have to admit he looked rather… barbaric.
A Celtic-gunslinger-Rambo. He was only missing a red bandana.
"So, any idea how we're going to do this?" Jacob asked Sonili. She shrugged helplessly, ((Get to the computer core, see what we can do…))
A wave of Taxons swarmed through an intersection up ahead, obviously headed deeper into the facility. They didn't see us.
((Wait a second, Jacob, ask her which is closer, the computer core, or the command center)) I said, inspiration hitting me.
((Um… command center)) Sonili answered.
Jacob realized my idea, "Sonili, can you bypass your Uncle's security protocols?"
((I… think so…))
"Okay, let's get to the command center, you hack the security, and your Uncle can tell you what he needs done, over the communicator," Jacob hastily suggested.
The girls led us to the command center, and for a moment, I was startled by their trust. If I really had been controlling Jacob, as Sonili's Uncle believed, I could have just crushed any chance of retaliation by the Andalites.
Jacob was too distracted to notice the direction of my thoughts: the command center was occupied.
((Be careful! We need the consoles intact!)) I yelped. Jacob slaughtered the three Hork-bajir troopers in the opening volley. The Taxxons tried to resist, but couldn't help trying to eat their fallen comrades. Jacob mopped them up, and tossed the depleted weapon in his right hand back into the hallway. He jerked a headset off one of the Hork-bajir, and handed it to Sonili, "Hurry!"
He turned to Bellai, "Sweetie, can you gather up the weapons for me?" She nodded numbly, and clopped through the charnel, extracting deadly weapons from still-warm appendages. Jacob took position by the door, keeping an eye on the hallway.
Vaguely, we were aware of Sonili's frantic activities, but mostly, we waited.
We did not wait long.
Enemy reinforcements poured into the far end of the hallway, and Jacob fired from cover, using a two-handed grip for better accuracy, doling out each shot miserly. The corridor was fifty meters long. We were firing from cover, with stable ground, and a steady hand. The enemy was running down a hallway, trying to avoid tripping over dead bodies (which was lethal if the corpse was hork-bajir)… so few shots even passed through the doorway. As Jacob put it, their accuracy sucked balls. Slowly, the bodies accumulated, but the yeerks crept closer, like an ocean.
Lywerav-Ontoul-Yrbon:
((Uncle, we're in the command center. I've bypassed your security lock-out))
I jumped, ((What?! Get out of there!))
((Don't worry. Jacob's keeping the yeerks away)) my daughter said, trying to reassure me. I could hear a constant stream of energy discharges in the background.
I ignored the impossible situation, ((I need you to raise bulkhead… H-27, and then close it behind us when I tell you to))
((Raising… bulkhead… now))
The thick blast shield rose quietly behind us, and I gestured frantically for my warriors to fall back. We had to leave the dead.
((Good, close the bulkhead!)) I ordered. Slowly, the blast shield lowered, although an opportunistic shot slipped under the metal, hitting the aristh on my left in the gut. The medic tried to stabilize him, but we didn't have any proper supplies…
((Aristh Frodlin-Corain-Emur. Hold this position, and delay the enemy)) I ordered heavily. The injured warrior nodded, his eyes clenched in pain. He understood. He was dying, but dying here would buy us time, instead of slowing us down. It was brutal… but this was war.
((I understand, sir))
((Die well, warrior))
I had only a dozen warriors left with me. We galloped down the corridor, and into the drop-shaft. The yeerks would need demolition charges to breach the blast shield, but I had no doubt some were en route. We reached the lowest level of the research facility. My brother's wife disabled the security lockout, and opened the vault to the primary lab. In the center of the room, lay the escafil device… commonly known as a morphing cube. It looked so small, and harmless…
((How long do you need to destroy the device?)) I asked.
Helaine's nimble, beautiful fingers danced across her console, ((It will take the computer five minutes to properly reconfigure the cortex to disintegrate, and another ten to implement))
((Hurry, my love)) I whispered, and paced to the lab's entrance, tail twitching. A muted rumble echoed through the facility. The yeerks had breached the blast shield.
((We must hold the line, my brothers, for the People)) I roared.
((For the People)) they echoed, fury redoubled.
We would make this world tremble before we fell.
Suddenly, Andalites erupted out of thin air, filling the hallway.
((Uncle, Esplin suggested making use of the facility's holographic generators. I'm also attempting to use the countermeasures to slow the yeerks down)) Sonili said.
I stared at the hall of fidgeting, imaginary warriors. Brilliant, but it would have been more effective with a larger space.
((How are you making the images move?)) I asked.
((I layered the image over Bellai. She's making random movements, and I'm streaming the motions in a delayed cascade, to every other image, so that they don't move in unison)) Sonili explained proudly.
Jacob Nyles:
I threw the empty Dracon beam as hard as I could, bursting a Taxxon, as Bellai handed me a fresh weapon. This was not looking good.
"Sonili, in another seven minutes, we're going to be overrun!" I shouted, a weapon blazing in either hand.
((Closer to five minutes)) Esplin predicted pessimistically.
((Stop sulking, and start thinking!)) I growled at her.
((Why me?)) Esplin demanded.
((Because I'm too busy killing to think!)) I roared back.
She retreated angrily from me, into the back of my head.
((Fine. Go sulk)) I thought snidely.
((I will)) Esplin muttered.
The yeerks pressed closer, and I was running out of weaponry.
((Last two)) Bellai told me, frightened, as she handed me the Dracon beams.
Esplin suddenly spoke, ((Hide))
"A little busy!" I shouted.
((No… it'll take too long to explain. Let me speak)) Esplin said frantically.
((Fine))
"Sonili, this is Esplin," my mouth said.
((Uh… yes?))
"I need you to do something…"
((()))
Suddenly, resistance ceased, and the yeerks poured down the hall, no longer hampered by enemy Dracon fire, and smashed into the control room, weapons ready… but no enemy was to be found. Their return fire had gutted many of the delicate consoles, and a vent cover on the wall had been ripped free. The yeerk in charge, a larger than normal Hork-bajir, snarled in frustration, and snapped orders into his headset.
((He's alerting his comrades that the Andalites have escaped into the ventilation system, no doubt in morph)) Esplin translated.
I fought to keep my breathing shallow, and squeezed the small hands in mine comfortingly. The Hork-bajir turned, and seemed to look me in the eye, unnerving the hell out of me. He didn't see me. Instead, he saw a wall of exposed computer circuitry, damaged by weapons fire, and sparking dangerously. The yeerks maintained a healthy distance from the dangerous holographic wall… which left two feet of space between it and the actual wall… which is where we were hiding.
((You're sure the Taxxons won't smell us?)) I asked again, nervous.
((With all of this blood splattered around? The Taxxons are all but insane with hunger right now)) Esplin sniffed condescendingly. She had a very low opinion of Taxxon usefulness.
((And no one likes getting electrocuted, so they probably won't touch the wall…)) I reminded myself, trying to remain calm.
((Relax Jacob… this will work)) Esplin said confidently.
But I could feel her nervousness.
Lywerav-Ontoul-Yrbon:
The yeerks were pressing closer, firing blindly, unable to easily distinguish flesh from hologram… but holograms didn't stop Dracon beams. I felt the impact just below my second heart. For a long moment, I didn't feel anything. Then the agony started. Dracon beams… deliberately designed to kill painfully… not painless, like a shredder…
((Sir!)) Cheegan gasped, and I saw with my left stalk-eye what he had seen:
One of the stray Dracon beams had hit the escafil device, knocking it off the assembly podium. Unfortunately, nothing short of a direct shot from a capital ship would damage the cube… but the podium was sparking and on fire. Helaine looked up from her console, and shook her head sadly. The podium couldn't dispose of the morphing cube anymore.
I had failed… with that thought, my legs gave out, and I sank to the grass.
Helaine-Mtalenon-Ashul:
No… Lywerav… his eyes dimmed, and it crashed in on me… my husband's brother… for all these years, he had always been there, ever since Reflavac had been killed… his fighter destroyed… Lywerav had always been there for my daughter… like a father. He had asked, twice, to take his brother's place, and twice, I had rebuffed him. I had loved Reflavac… and only him. But Lywerav had loved me… and now, he was dead.
((Sonili… can you initiate a self-destruct sequence?)) I asked weakly.
((Uh… mother… we're hiding behind a holographic wall right now. There are several dozen yeerks in the room with us. Jacob can't talk)) my daughter whispered.
((Are you still in the command center?))
((Yes))
((Stay where you are)) I said coldly. I picked up the escafil device, and tucked it into a satchel. I slung it over my chest, and checked my shredder's energy level.
((Brothers, the People require one last service from us)) I said.
Nine voices answered ((We serve the People))
Esplin 1894:
((Any more ideas?)) Jacob asked. A near miss had left a second degree burn across our right cheek, narrowly missing the ear. With nothing to distract us, the pain was starting to become a problem for him. I had been feeling it since it happened.
((Well, we can't just wait here forever. One of the yeerks might realize the pattern of sparks on the wall repeats every thirty seconds, or notice the active program running on the console or…)) I trailed off.
((Well, we could jump out and scream boo)) Jacob suggested, ((we'd have about three seconds before they stopped screaming like little girls…))
((Jacob, please be quiet)) I groaned.
((… and then we could shoot them…)) Jacob continued, ignoring me.
((()))
((Human, we are approaching the command center. Move the children into cover))
Dr. Helaine said over the communicator.
What cover? We let go of the girls' hands, and silently pulled the Dracon beams from their holsters.
I heard the sounds of surprised battle, and shredder fire. Blue beams flashed into the command center, dropping yeerks as they scrambled for cover behind blasted consoles. Jacob grinned, "BOO!" he stepped through the hologram, squeezing off shots at the (to us) exposed enemy. Five seconds later, the room was silent once more.
A Hork-bajir stumbled back into the room, clutching the stump of his wrist against his chest. An enraged Andalite shoved his way into the room, his tail blade nearly invisible as he hammered the weakening controller. And when I say enraged, and shoved, I was not dissembling. The Andalite actually shoved the larger Hork-bajir back with his thin arms… although I suppose it was more of locking his elbows, and shoving with his legs…
Jacob shot the stumbling hork-bajir dead. The Andalite stared at the human, with no immediate foe.
"What's up?" Jacob laughed.
((How did you get blood on you in such a pattern?)) the young warrior asked, confused.
"It's not blood anymore. It's war paint," Jacob explained.
((How… primitive)) Dr. Helaine commented, stepping daintily into the room.
"It's really, fun, you should try it some time," Jacob joked.
Sonili and Bellai stepped out from the holographic wall.
((We must get to the hanger))
Jacob cocked our head, "So we're not going out in a blaze of glory?"
((Circumstances have changed)) Dr. Helaine replied. Jacob shrugged, "Okay… do you want me to clear the way ahead, or slow the enemy behind?"
((Neither. You will stay with us, until I say otherwise)) the Andalite scientist said.
((()))
((Esplin… are you… okay?)) Jacob asked hesitantly.
((Why wouldn't I be?)) I asked, ((aside from the possibility of our imminent deaths?))
((I'm killing your people…)) Jacob said awkwardly.
((Tell me Jacob, if they capture us, what will happen?))
((I'll get dissected, and you'll be… well… in lots of pieces too, probably)) Jacob answered.
((They aren't my people. Not anymore)) I said bitterly, ((I have no people))
((Maybe… but you do have friends)) Jacob said, glancing at Sonili.
I didn't know how to answer that.
((()))
"Okay… I've got eyes on a yeerk gunboat. There're guards at the boarding ramp, but… they don't look too alert" Jacob whispered into his communicator, shifting position in the vent we had shimmed through.
((How many? Disposition? Positions?)) Dr. Helaine demanded.
"Uh… seven… eight… nine. Okay, I can see nine controllers. Two are Hork-bajir, the rest are Taxxon. The Hork-bajir are flanking the ramp, talking to each other, and the Taxxons are in a loose semi-circle, fanning out from the ramp. Only the Taxxons have weapons drawn," Jacob reported.
((Fine. When I signal, I want you to open fire from the vent, draw them out. We attack their flank))
((Let's shoot the Hork-bajir first)) I suggested.
"Good idea…" Jacob said, wheels spinning in his head. He flicked his Dracon beam down to its second lowest power setting.
((What are you doing?)) I asked, curious.
((We need allies… and in three days, we'll have two Hork-bajir, loyal to us, in case the Andalites decide we need locking up again…)) Jacob said.
((That's… actually a good idea)) I admitted, startled. It was… quite devious, for Jacob.
((Plus, they're real close to the ramp, so when we steal the ship, it won't be too hard recovering them)) Jacob pointed out.
((Now human!))
Jacob cursed, and snap-fired, dropping the Hork-bajir on the left. He missed the second warrior, who ducked up the ramp. The Taxxons swarmed towards the vent. Jacob kicked the vent cover off, and jumped out, drawing a sharp piece of metal from our waistband as we rolled. The Taxxons could smell the blood on Jacob, and in their mindless hunger, completely forgot they had weapons. No… they tried to eat us alive.
Jacob did not oblige them. Our "knife" had never been designed to carve through meat, but against Taxxons, it might as well have been a chainsaw, spilling their putrid guts all over the deck. One Taxxon tried to eat its own entrails, even as it died. The Andalites burst into the hanger, dodging fire from the yeerks pursuing them. Jacob rushed for the ramp, and rolled under enemy Dracon fire. One of the shots creased our back, drawing a line of agony.
Jacob yelped, but we were inside the ship now, and right in the Hork-bajir controller's face. Jacob fired, and the alien slumped. Hooves pounded on the ramp, and Jacob shoved the stunned enemy out of the way. The Andalites disappeared into the depths of the cramped cargo bay, heading deeper into the ship. We could hear shredder fire though, and screaming. Dr. Helaine brought up the rear, with the girls in tow.
((Raise the ramp!)) she cried. Behind her, a lot of enemies were pouring into the docking bay.
"In a second!" Jacob scrambled down the ramp, losing his Dracon in the process, and grabbed the stunned Hork-bajir at the base of the ramp. We struggled, pulling the heavy alien completely onto the ramp, so that no parts were hanging off. Someone, no doubt in the cockpit, raised the ramp.
((Jacob!)) Sonili screamed. We jerked around, and saw Dr. Helaine wrestling for a shredder with a seriously pissed-off Hork-bajir. He had green bands, with silver piping, around his biceps. He was injured, but clearly knew what the hell he was doing. Dr. Helaine's tail-blade wildly slashed at the enemy warrior, but it was a kitchen knife, compared to a male's machete. The Hork-bajir elite accepted the gashes in his leather hide, using his superior physical strength to leverage the shredder…
Until Jacob hit him, and hastily kicked Dr. Helaine clear. I thought I heard a few of her ribs break… but we didn't have time for finesse. The shredder was lost somewhere among the crates and cargo cylinders.
Our enemy planted one clawed talon in our belly, kicking us across the cargo-hold, and into a crate.
"Oh…" Jacob groaned, trying to get to his feet, his vision blurry and pain stabbed into me through our senses.
The elite warrior advanced warily on Jacob, and snarled at us in a mish-mash of his host's native tongue, and galard. I only caught the galard bits.
"Nice to meet you too," Jacob sneered, and grabbed a small cargo case, flinging it like a discus, to crack painfully against the Hork-bajir's head. That startled the enemy, and brought him to a halt. He gnashed out a question, but I couldn't translate it. The intent was clear, and we answered in kind.
Jacob lunged in close to the controller, avoiding a razor edge thrust from his knee, and scored a shallow gash across the inner thigh with our shiv. It was painful, but not deep enough to be a threat. Unfortunately, we didn't see the tail—
((()))
Jacob used a crate to pull himself to his feet, and wiped blood out of his eye.
"You're good," he admitted, limping towards his opponent, "But you're running out of time."
We met in a rapid flurry of blades, punches, and counter-grapples, then raggedly disengaged, still circling each other. Jacob had a new cut across his cheek and a more serious gash in his left shoulder.
The Hork-bajir had two new puncture wounds in his lower abdomen. If he felt them, he gave no sign of it. This was going badly for us. Sensing weakness, the warrior pounced forward, slamming us into a container with his tail, and pinned Jacob to the floor with one foot. Jacob stared up at the enemy, dazed, and the Hork-bajir snarled, bladed arm raised for the killing blow.
((Jacob!))
"Sonili, no!" Jacob gasped. The Hork-bajir warded off the girl's little tail blade with one of his forearms disdainfully. Jacob stabbed our shiv into the Hork-bajir's ankle, sawing savagely, severing the alien's equivalent to the Achilles tendon. The Hork-bajir stumbled, and Jacob latched onto the alien's foot, keeping it pinned to his chest, tripping the alien, who fell on his own tail, which stabbed through his own thigh, eliciting a hoarse scream of agony. The Hork-Bajir dragged itself upright, and there was definitely murder in his eyes. Jacob bared his teeth, but it was an empty gesture. There was something wrong with our head, it was getting harder for Jacob to think, and our senses were dimming, although we did see a burst of blue light before we passed out.
